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How VMA Set Design Turns Brand Identity Into Broadcast Storytelling

How VMA Set Design Turns Brand Identity Into Broadcast Storytelling

A look at how the epic stages of the MTV VMAs are more than just spectacle, serving as a crucial tool for artists to tell their stories.
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How Labels Decide Which Singles to Push Around a VMA Performance

How Labels Decide Which Singles to Push Around a VMA Performance

Discover the complex strategy, high-stakes budgets, and data-driven decisions that determine which artists and songs get a coveted VMA performance.
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How the VMAs Build Unpredictability Into a Highly Planned Live Show

How the VMAs Build Unpredictability Into a Highly Planned Live Show

Discover the production secrets that turn MTV's Video Music Awards into must-see TV by embracing, and even manufacturing, unscripted chaos.
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How VMA Producers Use Pacing and Staging to Keep the Show Moving

How VMA Producers Use Pacing and Staging to Keep the Show Moving

Ever wonder how the VMAs feel so chaotic yet perfectly paced? We break down the secret art and science producers use to build the show's run of show.
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How the MTV VMAs Turn a Three-Minute Performance Into a Live-TV Engineering Problem

How the MTV VMAs Turn a Three-Minute Performance Into a Live-TV Engineering Problem

Discover the intense logistical and technical challenges behind a single three-minute MTV VMA performance, from rapid set changes to complex audio-visuals.
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How Artists Build a VMA Medley Without Making It Feel Like a Greatest-Hits Reel

How Artists Build a VMA Medley Without Making It Feel Like a Greatest-Hits Reel

Discover the artistic strategy behind the MTV VMAs' most iconic medleys and how performers turn a career retrospective into must-see television.
VarietyVariety
Taylor Swift to Be Honored at 2026 MTV VMAs With Inaugural Artist-Director Award

Taylor Swift to Be Honored at 2026 MTV VMAs With Inaugural Artist-Director Award

Taylor Swift has been pegged to receive a key award at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards. CBS and MTV announced Monday morning that Swift will be the recipient of the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, a newly minted award set to go to artists who direct some or all of their own music […]
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How VMA Production Techniques Make Performances Feel Bigger on TV

How VMA Production Techniques Make Performances Feel Bigger on TV

Discover the production secrets, from camera illusions to augmented reality, that make MTV VMA performances feel larger than life for viewers at home.
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
MTV VMAs to Feature a George Michael Tribute With Raye, Sombr, and Teddy Swims

MTV VMAs to Feature a George Michael Tribute With Raye, Sombr, and Teddy Swims

The homage to the late singer will include a medley at the Sunday awards show
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How VMA Lighting Turns Live Performances Into Distinct Visual Worlds

How VMA Lighting Turns Live Performances Into Distinct Visual Worlds

Explore the complex art and technology behind the MTV VMAs, where lighting directors design the stage not just for a live show, but for a dozen music videos at once.
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Why Fan-Voted Awards Change the Campaigning Playbook for Artists

Why Fan-Voted Awards Change the Campaigning Playbook for Artists

Fan-voted awards have become more than just popularity contests; they are now a crucial part of an artist's strategic playbook for growth.
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What the 2026 VMA Categories Suggest About MTV’s Changing Music Priorities

What the 2026 VMA Categories Suggest About MTV’s Changing Music Priorities

An analysis of the MTV VMAs' evolving award categories reveals a deliberate strategy to shape modern music culture for its own survival.